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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28416249">Day 363</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard'>Josh_the_Bard</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Year in Kirkwall [363]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:07:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>845</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28416249</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Year in Kirkwall [363]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Day 363</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hawke had Bodahn carrying a pot of tea behind him, to refill his cup whenever it emptied, as he made his way to the Keep. It was hours before he would have liked to get up but sometimes even he couldn’t ignore summons from Aveline. Especially not when it involved his orphanage.</p><p>Bodahn emptied the pot at the base of the stairs to the keep and here, he and Hawke parted ways. Hawke ascended the steps, draining the last of his tea as he reached to top and hurried to the holding cells by the barracks. Aveline was there, with an angry looking woman. By her clothes she was from Lowtown (Hawke wondered when he became the sort of person to place a person’s residence by their clothes.) In one of the cells a young elven girl was sitting quietly and looking like the most miserable thing Hawke had ever seen. She wasn’t crying now but her red eyes and tear streaked face said she had only stopped recently. She looked up when Hakwe arrived and he recognized her.</p><p>“Veri?”</p><p>She looked like she was about to burst into tears again so Hawke turned his attention to Aveline and the woman beside her.</p><p>“I’m sure whatever this girl did does not warrant-”</p><p>“She broke into my home!” the woman shouted pointing at Veri. “Her and her group of grubby urchin friends and they helped themselves to my ale.”</p><p>“They broke into your cellar?” Hakwe asked, confused.</p><p>“I’m an alewife, my ale is my livelihood Champion and these mongrels took it like it was theirs and drank half a barrel before I caught them.”</p><p>“Friends,?” Hawke asked. “Where are the others?”</p><p>“Ran away like rats when they saw me coming,” the alewife said. “This brat was the only one I caught and she won’t tell me where the others ran off to.”</p><p>“Burglary, petty theft, evading arrest and refusing to cooperate with authorities,” Aveline said. “Given her age we can probably give her a stern warning if the damages are paid for. Otherwise...”</p><p>Hawke didn’t know Veri well and he hadn’t known her long, but according to Master Gabriel, she was a dedicated apprentice. She took her responsibilities seriously and had not gotten into any trouble since starting her apprenticeship. If anything she was too reserved, not spending time with the other children as much as one would expect. She was the last one Hakwe would have expended to be bailing out of trouble.</p><p>“Invoice me for the damages,” Hawke said to the alewife who stormed off in a huff. To Aveline he said: “Leave the warning to me.”</p><p>The Guard Captain nodded and unlocked the door. Veri shuffled sadly out and followed Hake out of the keep. He waited until they were out of earshot of any guards before saying anything.</p><p>“Aveline says you were uncooperative.”</p><p>“Aveline?” Veri asked. Her voice  was barely more than a squeak.</p><p>“The Guard Captain,” Hawke said, suppressing a chuckle. He forgot that not everyone was on a first-name-basis with the elite of the city. “She said you refused to cooperate.”</p><p>“She just asked who the others were.”</p><p>“And you refused to tell her.”</p><p>“I… they were my friends.”</p><p>“Good,” Hawke said. “Your friends are the most important. The best ones will stand behind you no matter what. I’m assuming that ale heist was their idea?”</p><p>Veri nodded.</p><p>“I’m also assuming this was the last such escapade you’ll be pertaining in for a while? I can’t afford to buy up all the ale in Kirkwall, no matter how much Varric boasts of my wealth.”</p><p>“Of course,” Veri said. “I’ll never do anything like this again. I’ll make sure the others don’t neither.”</p><p>“You’re only responsible for yourself,” Hawk said. “But you might suggest less illegal trouble next time. I can’t expect you not to get up to any trouble after all. Just make sure you’re not caught doing anything you’ll get arrested for. That’s what I do.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Well,” Hawke though a moment. “No, not really, but I make sure to bring Aveli- The Guard Captain along any time I’m doing something of questionable legality. That way I can’t possibly get in trouble or the guards would have to arrest themselves too.”</p><p>Veri laughed at that and Hakwe flashed her a mischievous smile.</p><p>“I assure you that Varric leaves out the parts of his stores where I have no idea what I’m doing half the time. If the people knew that their champion was a bumbling idiot… Look, children, and adults now that I think about it, get up to all kinds of trouble and I am the last one to judge, just please be careful. You represent the orphanage now and I want to make a good impression,  do you think you can manage that?”</p><p>“I’ll try,” Veri said.</p><p>“Excellent,” Hawke replied. “Now before we go back there is a shop here that makes the most delicious candies, very expensive. You can pay your friends back for leaving you to take the fall by not sharing any with them.”</p>
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